Background:
Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation e.V. (Savings Banks Foundation for International Cooperation, SBFIC) is a German-based non-profit organization that is active in partnership projects in more than 50 countries worldwide. Among its key principles is the combination of local and international expertise to provide excellent technical advisory to its partner organizations. One of the partner organizations SBFIC Rwanda works with is the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN). The partnership focusses mainly on the professionalization of the Umurenge SACCO Sector. SBFIC Rwanda’s project activities are refinanced by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Context
As Rwanda strives towards establishing a knowledge-based economy and achieving its Vision 2050 goals, fostering innovative ICT-based SMEs is a key pillar to achieve such ambitious goals.
As part of Rwanda’s long-term development plan, the ultimate aim of the government of Rwanda is to transform the country into a high-income country and an economic trade, communication, and financial hub by the year 2050.
Towards achieving this at least one Saving and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) at each administrative sector (Umurenge) level, i.e., 416 Umurenge SACCOs (U-SACCOs) nationwide, were established. All U-SACCOs are licensed as financial institutions and are regulated by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR). Every U-SACCO is an independent legal entity, and each has an average of six (6) employees. Currently, the U-SACCOs serve about 3,000,000 members.
However, the ability of the U-SACCOs to realize its full potential is limited by a number of challenges from operations, management, capacity building to accounting management. One of the main challenges is the currently used manual system as it hinders many SACCOs business areas. Negative effects of this challenge can be elaborated by below points:
Slow/poor service delivery,
Limited products and services available to customers,
Members’ inability to access services from other SACCOs (limitation of services
to clearly defined geographical area),
Exclusion from the national payments system,
Limited access to credit reference bureau (CRB),
Increased risk of fraud,
Reporting challenges and weak internal control,
High level of errors and inconsistencies in data which impedes decision making.
The limited scope of operation implies that some U-SACCOs lack the critical mass required for growth and financially viability. Automation and interconnection of U-SACCOs would lead to improvements in service delivery, reporting, governance through harmonized internal procedures, standardized operations, operational systems, policies, and practices as well as audits. U-SACCOs interconnection would also improve financial capacity and reduce risks through pooled resources, widen the product range, improve transparency.
In this regard, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) is running a Project for U-SACCOs Automation, Consolidation, and the Establishment of the Cooperative. The Project is led by a Coordinator and operates under 3 units: Business & Consolidation; Software Development and IT Operations. The Project has already 53 staff on board out of 64 expected; it will have around 180 auditors including senior and assistant auditors for U-SACCOs data validation and due diligence. At the strategic level, the project has a High-Level Steering Committee composed at ministerial level and Managerial level of MINECOFIN, MINICOM, MINICT, MINALOC, BNR, and RCA as well as a Technical Steering Committee composed of Senior Staff from the indicated ministries and government agencies.
The project will have to conduct awareness campaigns through meetings with USACCOs directors, staff, members, and other stakeholders; it will also conduct training of USACCOs staff and its own staff. To achieve its objectives, the project is in partnership with some various units in MINECOFIN and other stakeholders including Savings Banks Foundation for International Cooperation (SBFIC), Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR), Rwanda Institute for Cooperatives, Entrepreneurship and Microfinance (RICEM), and Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda (AMIR).
It is within the above-mentioned partnership that SBFIC is recruiting a Project Administrative Assistant who shall connect the Project Management Team with its stakeholders. S/he shall support project implementation by providing administrative and logistical support to project staff across the project intervention areas and in line with its objectives. The Project Administrative Assistant will receive a limited-term work contract with SBFIC for a duration of six months and s/he will be 100% seconded to MINECOFIN. A subsequent contract extension is possible, subject to the employee’s performance, the approval of the donor and the availability of funds.
Roles and responsibilities:
Aid in the preparation of project proposals, invoices, and relevant project documentation;
Maintain accurate records of all information related to projects for documentation, clarification, and presentation to management;
Liaise with clients to identify and define project requirements, scope, and objectives. Ensuring completion of employee’s documentation and administration;
Arrange and coordinate logistics support for Project Team meetings organized at theHead Office and on-field; s/he shall attend project team meetings, and record, compile and distribute meeting minutes, when required;
Carry out general administrative or clerical duties such as filing, typing, copying,binding, scanning etc;
Submit and reconcile expense reports including meetings expenses;
Develop and maintain a filing system;
Order office supplies;
Develop and update administrative systems to make them more efficient;
Resolve administrative problems;
Support project staff in coordinating appointments, preparing meetings and disseminating training materials including presentations;
Coordinate domestic travels and hotel arrangements, ensuring that all travel arrangements are in compliance with project and MINECOFIN/Project internal rules and project procedures;
Book physical/virtual conference/meeting, rooms, taxis, couriers, hotels, etc.;
Maintain up-to-date staff and consultants on meetings and reports;
Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed;
Cover the reception desk when required;
Up-to-date and maintain contact lists;
Perform any other duties linked to the Project and related to normal tasks of administrative Assistants that may be assigned by the Project Management Team.
Profile:
Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Management, Project Management, Public Relations or other related field;
Minimum three years experience as Administrative Assistant or two years experience in human resources or administration;
Proven administrative, human resources, public relations, and interpersonal skills;
Strong verbal and written communications, teamwork, and collaborating abilities;
Demonstrates excellent computer skills in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
Fluency in oral and written English and Kinyarwanda required; French would be a plus;
Ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently and work well under deadlines;
Attention to detail and problem-solving skills;
Strong organizational and planning skills;
Proven integrity, confidentiality, good judgment and discretion, and ability to
Maintains a high level of professionalism.
How to apply
Please submit your updated CV, relevant certificates and transcripts of records, and a cover letter clearly demonstrating your knowledge, experience, and motivation as well as highlighting your suitability for the assignment to application.eastafrica@sparkassenstiftung.de .
Applications will be received not later than 7th April 2021. Please understand that we will only contact candidates who will have passed the preselection successfully and will be invited to the Assessment Center
